Clover
by May
Summary: Groo returns to Sunnydale, as a vampire! Spike and Clover try to stop him.
1. A Slayer

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Episode I : Slayer   


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SunnyDale

March, 2019 

As long as there have been vampires, there has been the Slayer. One girl in all the world, to find them where they gather, and stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their numbers. She is the Slayer. 

The room was small; the only light was from a lamp on a nightstand near the bed. A young girl quickly got dressed. She wore black boots, a pair of old jeans, a purple sweater, and a two sizes too big leather jacket. She tied her long blond hair up in a half ponytail. From her full length mirror, she grabbed a black bookbag. The girl then went over to her desk and opened the top drawer. Inside the drawer were three bottles of holy water, some garlic, a plain metal cross necklace, and three wooden stakes. She grabbed the cross, put it on, and then took the stakes putting one in her bag, one in the front part of her pants, and the last up her jacket sleeve. She then left the room. The girl walked down the stairs to the kitchen. Her mother was there baking cookies. She turned around, and pushed a stray piece of brown hair away from her face. 

"Clover, I didn't hear you come in. Cookie? Wait, where are you going?" 

Clover took a cookie from her mother and took a bite. "I'm going out to check out that club you told me about. The Gold?" 

"Bronze," her mother corrected. ""It's our first night in SunnyDale, I thought we could bond over cookies and unpack some more." 

Clover let out a long sigh. "Wish I could Mom, but the sun's been down ten minutes. I'm late, and the Bronze sounds like a great place for vampires to feed." 

When Clover's Mom had found out her daughter was a Slayer, she had taken it very well.(After she fainted and screamed for weeks about it) She told Clover that she had known a Slayer when she had been in high school. Of course, that Slayer had been much older. At the time Clover had been only thirteen, and that had been three years ago. So Clover's Mom, ex-May Queen Cordelia Chase, thought that since there was a Hellmouth under SunnyDale, they should move there when she was old enough. 

Cordelia put the tray of oatmeal cookies down, and hugged her daughter tightly. She was already regretting the move from Rome, New York to SunnyDale. "Be careful," she whispered in Clover's ear. She then let go, and walked over to the back door and opened it. Clover walked outside and started walking. She didn't look back. She never looked back.

*

The Bronze, the perfect place for vampire activity. Clover paid the way too low cover price, then walked in. The band played a soft rock number; they weren't that bad. The Slayer went up the stairs to the second story area to get a better look around. Her old Watcher would have said this place was a class A vampire ground, meaning it was the best place in town to get a young midnight "snack". Clover leaned over the rail to get a better look at the floor below. 

Gavin McNeal had seen her even from the stage. She was around sixteen, tall with shiny blond hair and great dark green eyes. Her shoulders were small, but she seemed very toned and muscular. Her face, though not beautiful in the classic sense, was beautiful in the foreign sense of the word. Gavin was in love. She had walked up the stairs. He could see her now leaning over the rail looking around. Gavin watched her with growing pleasure. 

"Gavin," a voice beside him whispered, "you've just missed two beats on the drums." Gavin looked back at his drum set and vowed to talk to the girl later. 

When their set was over, Gavin left his bandmates in search of the girl. He found her sitting by herself at a table her bookbag by her side. He took a seat a nearby table. Clover had seen him on stage. He was the drummer. He was tall, around seventeen with short brown hair and great hazel colored eyes. His face was oval and pale in the light. He wore baggy khakis, a blue bowling shirt, and sneakers. He was cute, and he was looking right at her. That meant it was her cue to leave. She so didn't need a guy right now. Besides, there were no vampires sitting in this place, and she was wasting time here. Someone could be dead because of it. Someone's father, friend, or Watcher. 

"Stop it," Clover told herself as she quietly made her way to the door. 

*

Rai Shields was, in short, punished for breaking curfew. So when her cousin Gavin called her at eight thirty at night, she knew something was up. 

"I've seen her, Rai," Gavin said into the phone. Through the phone screen, Gavin could see his sixteen year old cousin. She was of medium height and petite with long raven hair sculpted around her heart shaped milky white face and violet eyes. She was wearing little red dress and matching shoes. 

"Who?" Rai asked as she chewed on a piece of hair. 

"I don't know," her cousin answered without taking a breath, "but I am going to find out. She just showed up at the Bronze, then left." 

Rai looked at Gavin with her huge eyes. "Be careful, she could be some psycho killer for all you know. I'll meet you at the Bronze in ten minutes," and with that she hung up. 

Gavin took a seat and waited hoping his imagination wasn't overacting.

* 

SunnyDale's cemetery; a class B vampire ground. Basically because only newly risen vampires hung out there, so it was easy to stake them. Which was good. Clover didn't like to get sweaty too early in the night. The Slayer spotted a vampire only a few feet in front of her as she arrived. Its back was toward her, so she quietly got the stake form her jacket and walked over driving it into its heart. It turned just in time to see her before it became dust. 

Just as she was about to move one, she heard footsteps behind her. "Sloppy," a voice said. 

Clover turned to see a guy in his early twenties. He was wearing black sack pants, a green T-shirt and a black blazer. His black hair was cut close to his head and his blue eyes had a piercing effect on her. It was like he was looking right past her into her soul or something; Clover hated it. 

"Let me guess, you're my new Watcher, right? I should warn you, I go through you people like my mother went through boyfriends in high school." 

The man walked up to Clover and brushed some ashes off her jacket; she also didn't like that. He smiled at her, a warm smile making her feel safe. Clover hated that too. She couldn't get attached; her Watchers always died on her. Everyone died on her. 

"They said you had a small attitude. I'm Dustin Rogers... your new Watcher." He stuck out his hand to her. Clover took it noticing his voice had become smoother. 

But she quickly took it back. He had called her work sloppy. It wasn't sloppy, all she had done was put a stake in a vampire's heart. They hadn't even fought. "What do you mean my work is sloppy? I'll have you know all three of my past Watchers said I have great technique." 

"Well," Dustin began as he raced to keep up with Clover who had started walking away. He walked next to her, then continued. "You lost a stake and nearly missed his heart. Wait, did you say three? The Council only told me about one." 

The Slayer shook her head in disbelief. Who did this guy think he was? First he brushed ashes off her jacket, then he called her work sloppy. Clover was starting to dislike this guy. "No, they were three. First one told me the day after I turned thirteen that I was the Slayer. He died." She noticed Dustin's look. "Of a heart attack. Guy was like fifty-five. But he stayed the longest, two years. Taught me everything I know. Then there was my second, but he turned up missing. The last one came when I was fifteen. She was nice, but she went insane; don't know why. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have eleven more graveyards and three bars to cover." Before Dustin could respond, Clover had run off leaving him alone.

* 

"So that's it?" Rai asked her cousin as she took a sip of her hot tea. 

Gavin gave her an annoyed look. "Yes, but don't you see? She was perfect. Maybe she'll be in school tomorrow." 

"Yeah, maybe," Rai answered with a smile. 

*

Clover was in her room. She saw herself asleep on her bed. But that was impossible, because she was standing up in front of her mirror. Clover heard a noise and turned toward the window. Standing by it was a man. Tall, dark, with great cheekbones, thick dark hair and deep set eyes. 

He smiled at her and said with sadness in his voice, "I've been in this room before. It looked different then." 

Clover was not amused. "What are you doing in my room?" she demanded getting into fighting stance. 

The stranger held up his hands to show he meant no harm. "I'm not in your room," he said matter-of-factly, "I'm in your head. I thought your would be more muscular, maybe shorter." 

"What do you mean? How could you be in my head?" Clover demanded taking a step back. "Your gone." 

He gave her another smile. "Don't worry, it's me,Angel. I'm here to warn you. There's been a demon. It feasts off of scared emotions to get stronger." He turned to the window and jumped out. 

Clover ran to see where he had gone, but when she got to the window, there was no-one there. She turned to her bed and saw herself tossing. So that's what she looked like when she had prophecy dreams. 

Beep. Beep. Clover turned off her inflatable alarm clock and turned over to see what time it was. 5:30 a.m Cordelia had most likely already left for the law firm where she worked in order to get ready for her case today. So, Clover got up and walked downstairs to make her breakfast. When she got there, she had a surprise waiting for her. There, sitting at the kitchen bar drinking some coffee was Dustin Rogers. 

"I say, do people form New York often wear long sleeves to bed on one of the hottest nights of the year?" Clover noticed for the first time that he was British. 

She narrowed her eyes on the Watcher. "How the hell did you get into my house?" 

He gave her a smile and took a long sip of his coffee before answering. "A Watcher tells nothing." She gave him a dangerous look and he cleared his throat nervously. "Your mum let me in, she knew who I was. Did you tell her about me?" 

"Yeah," the Slayer said as she took a seat across from Dustin, grabbed a banana and took a bite. "Eww," she spit the piece into her hand. "Mom and me don't keep secrets from each other." 

Dustin handed her a napkin. She put the banana in it and threw it in the nearby trashcan. "I read the Watcher Diaries of two of your Watchers last night. Mr. Holder and Ms. Anderson. Do you know what happened to Mr. Chris Barron's diary?" 

"Nope. I told you, he disappeared, but if it helps, he was only around like three months. Now, I have to get ready for school. Which means you have to leave. So bye." Clover motioned her hands toward the back door as she got up and went get a glass of juice. 

"I can't leave," Dustin said a Clover walked out of the room and he followed her up the stairs. "We have to talk..." 

Clover turned around. "About what? Cause I know SunnyDale's on a Hellmouth..." 

"It's not that. Have you been having... the dreams?" 

The Slayer tucked some hair behind her left ear with fingernails painted lime green. "Yeah. I saw a demon feeding off scared emotions." She decided there was no need to tell him about Angel. "Look, stay here. I'll go get dressed." She turned and ran up the stairs to her room. 

*

Gavin saw her coming up the stairs. She wore the leather jacket over a camaflouge shirt with matching pants and black boots. Her hair was down around her shoulders and she carried a binder and an old looking book . He hit his cousin in the ribs. Rai turned and saw the girl Gavin "loved". She looked nice but also worried about something. Rai had heard the new girl was daughter of Cordelia Chase. The way a lot of the girls and jocks were acting you would swear God was coming to school today and going to make the unpopular disappear and the popular gods. 

"So, what do you think?" Gavin asked Rai. Before either one could answer, the new principal walked up to the girl and pulled her away. 

"In school two minutes, and she's already in trouble? Sounds like my kind of friend," Rai said as she and Gavin followed them. 

*

Once inside the principal's office, Clover got ready to confront the authority figure at her new school. To her surprise, Dustin Rogers walked in behind her, closed the door and sat down in the chair behind the desk. "You left me on your staircase for twenty minutes," he accused in his crisp British accent, "and when I got to your open door, I found the window open and you gone. I guess you don't like to deal with authority considering they all die, disappear or go insane. I can see why," he added. 

"It was 5:30 in the morning, you were drinking coffee in my kitchen, what did you want from me? Besides, what happened to them wasn't my fault." Holding out the book she had carrying with her binder she said, "Here. I've brought you a present." She slammed the old dusty volume onto the clean desk causing them both to cough. "I was going to spring for the sighing gorilla telegram, but I thought this would be cheaper. It was Mr. Holder's. I kept to level out my t.v., but hey, a sacrifice." Before he could say anything, she opened the book to about the middle and pointed to a short paragraph in the demon section. 

"It's about the Celdar," Dustin said reaching for the book and reading. 

"Meaning..." Clover requested. 

"Oh, it's ancient African for scared actually, rather primitive." 

"Ohh, I see. And do they teach ancient African in principal school? Anyway, that's the lovely little need demon from the dream. Thought you would like to know. By the way, where do you keep all our weapons and stuff? There's not some hidden cabinet in here?" 

With a hidden smile, Dustin reached under the desk and pressed a button with his finger causing the paneled floor on the left side of his desk to slide back revealing a staircase. Gesturing with his hand palm open he wore a " what did you say" look. 

Clover raised her eyebrows quizzically and wrinkled her nose. "Living out our Batman fantasies are we?" she questioned. 

"No," he replied rather annoyed, "it's where the books and such are kept. I can't actually run home everytime we need something now can I?" He noticed her look. " All right, all right, so I'm living out my Batman fantasies." 

"So, since you're English, you can be Alfred." 

"Can we drop this?" he questioned impatiently. Reaching under the book he had placed down, he pulled out a slip of paper. "Now, here's your schedule, and please make sure you don't miss your first class. I've pulled a few strings to get your last period free so we can discuss things before the end of school." 

"Well then," she said standing up and opening the door and saluting, "I'll be here with bells on. Well, not exatually bells," she admitted with a frown. "To find bells I'd have to go to the music room, and I don't play an instrument. Ummm, never mind," she said noticing the look Dustin was giving her. "See you later then," she added closing the door to his exasperated sigh. 

Clover walked outside only to bump into the boy she had seen yesterday, only now there was a girl with him. He was wearing the same outfit as last night. The girl was wearing a blue skirt and white shirt with matching white sandals. 

"Umm, sorry. I didn't see where I was going." 

"What are you doing tonight?" Gavin questioned outright afraid to wait for an actual conversation. 

"Smooth," Rai pointed out. 

Clover smiled at them. They seemed like nice people. Too nice people to get killed. "I have somewhere to be." She ran the other way leaving Rai and Gavin shocked and alone. 

*

The Bronze, the perfect place to mope. Gavin and Rai sat together at a table sharing a bag of chips. Neither could believe what had happened that day. Everytime either one had seen the new girl, she had walked the other way. Then Rai saw her. She walked in with none other than their principal Mr. Rogers. 

Mr. Rogers took a seat at a nearby table and pulled out a notebook and started writing. The girl walked over to a guy and asked him to dance.A slow number started playing, a remake of a song from the nineties. The couple started dancing. When the song ended, they walked out together. Mr. Rogers followed them, and out of insane curiosity, so did Gavin and Rai. 

Once outside of the Bronze, Clover grabbed the vampire by the neck and rammed it into a nearby wall. "Stake," she called out to Dustin. He quickly handed it to her, and she stuck it into its heart then pulled it out again. the vampire exploded into dust all over the street and her jacket. She turned to face Dustin and found behind him the two kids form the morning. She cleared her throat and the Watcher turned to look them in the eyes. "We can explain," he said with a sigh. 

*

Back at the school, Dustin led the teens back into his office and repeated the actions of early that day. Despite their better judgment, Rai and Gavin followed. They saw a huge round two level room filled with a large case of weapons. In the middle was a large table with a computer on it. They all sat down, Gavin on the right side, Rai on the left ,and Clover at the end on the edge. 

Dustin cleared his throat. "SunnyDale is on a Hellmouth." He looked around. So far so good. "It's a center for mystical energy. Demons and vampires come here. They are real . Vampires explode into dust when they are staked. There is a girl in every generation who hunts them. She is called the Slayer, born with the strength and skill to hunt them. Clover is the Slayer. I'm called a Watcher. I train her, research. Don't tell anyone," he finished lamely. "Please." 

Gavin and Rai looked at each other. Finally Gavin said, "Okay, what can we do to help?" 

Clover gave Dustin a pleading smile. She wanted friends, and these two were willing to help. Dustin let out a sigh. This girl was going to be a handful, and with these two... What was the word Rupert Giles had called the kids that helped his Slayer? Slayerettes? Sidekicks? 


	2. Greatest Fear

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Greatest Fear   


"I just called Mom, and you'll never guess what her greatest fear is." Clover looked around at everyone as she took her seat on the corner of the table. "It's that I'll die and come back as a... you guessed it, vampire." 

Dustin Rogers turned with an open book on his hands and said, " That won't be a problem really, because the fears are only illusions that can only be seen by the person experiencing them. They are not real, but since your mother's greatest fear is you becoming a vampire, perhaps, for your safety, you should tell her to meet you here at my office. I think it would also be prudent for everyone here, and especially you Rai and Gavin since you are insisting on exposing yourself to Clover's world, to share their fears." 

Rai leaned her head on one of her hands. "Well, mine's simple; closed spaces." 

"If you start screaming ' the walls are closing it', then perhaps Clover here can knock you unconscious," Dustin replied absently reading. 

Clover glanced over at him strangely. "Wonderful way to start a friendship," she muttered to Rai. 

"What was that?" Dustin questioned. "Oh, well, never mind that. I suppose I'll go next, though mine's mostly straight forward and predictable." 

"Afraid to loose your British humor?" Gavin questioned. 

"Very droll Gavin," Dustin replied, " actually it's not having the correct answers for Clover during one of her trials." 

"Thank you, thank you," Clover said with a mock bow, "I rank on someone's scale. Now what about you Gavin?" 

Everyone turned expectantly towards him. "Rats okay. Happy. There's just something about those little furry faces and long tails that makes me want to jump on a counter and shriek like a woman in a bad cartoon," Gavin admitted. "Now that everyone knows my shame, what about our omnipotent Slayer here?" 

Without a word, Clover slowly slipped out of her black leather jacket, hesitated at the right arm, then pulled the arm out. Everyone gave a little gasp as they saw the large scars that crisscrossed on her arm. "Fought a demon couple of years ago. It could make fire come out of its mouth. Burned me up real bad right here. Doctors said it was the worst case of third degree burns they'd ever seen. I killed it, but now I'm afraid of getting burned again." 

"I'm sorry," Dustin stammered a little, " yes well, I suppose we should finish with our research." 

"We'll help," Rai announced as she and Gavin jumped out of their chairs a little hastily not knowing what to say to Clover. They both started picking through books Dustin had stacked on the table. 

Clover's thoughts were interrupted as a voice called out, "Hello, is anyone down there? 

Clover? You know, there really should be a railing here. In these heels it's really not working," Cordelia said as she walked the last few steps into Dustin's underground office. "This really is entirely too weird," she said shaking her head. "They rebuilt the school on the exact same spot as the old one before the whole key thing, and it looks the exact same too. You think they would be a little more creative this time around. This is new though," she added gesturing to the underground office. "Mr. Rogers," she finished with a nod and turned to Gavin and Rai. 

"

Welcome to his neighborhood," Gavin quipped. "Anyway, my name is Gavin and this is my cousin Rai. You must be Ms. Chase, Clover's Mom." 

"Nice to meet you," Cordeila said. Then a surprised look came over her features as she noticed her daughter without her jacket. "Clover honey, you're not wearing it. Well, these people must be trustworthy." She walked over to hug her daughter who winced as her mom's arms brushed her right one. 

"Careful Mom, still a little stiff," Clover said. 

Her Mom drew back, looked around the room, and noticed the books on the desk. "This is entirely part of my youth I did not want to relive," Cordelia muttered siting herself down and opening the first book she came to. "So, what are we researching today? Man-eating twenty story spiders? Crazy rock beast? Invisible dragons? Simple, everyday vampires who want to rule the world?" 

For the next few minutes, Clover and the group filled Cordelia in on the demon, and the room was quiet with the sound of turning pages. 

"Ah, ha!" Dustin said from a corner of a bookcase as he came to the group at the table. 

"One can just see the light bulb flashing on top of his head," Gavin said to no-one in particular. 

"Perhaps you should spend less time watching television and more time on your grades," Dustin replied. "As I was saying, I've found more on our little friend here. Seems he can't stand light of any kind including sunlight, moonlight, candles, anything. So I guess it is safe to say that we pretty much have a weapon against it." 

"So we go to the hardware store, invest in a little Energizer batteries, and it's pizza and late night movies over at my house," Clover said. 

"It's not that simple," Dustin replied. "This demon, this Celdar, has killed the two Slayers before you actually. One in South America, the other in Australia. It used their greatest fears against them, and they failed. It will be after you now Clover, and when its influence spreads throughout the town, its energy will increase with every illusional fear." 

"No problem," Clover answered. "My fear's been sent to Hell by me personally. So, if it's strong, all I've gotta do is shine a little light on the problem and defeat it." 

"And if you get hurt? We'll be stuck here with our greatest fears and probably end up killing each other or ourselves. I lost your father Clover, I don't want to loose you too," Cordelia remarked. 

"Don't worry Mom," Clover said, "I've been doing this for three years now, I think I'm getting the hang of it. Trust me, it will be simple." 

"Ummm," Gavin started tapping Clover on the shoulder, " has anyone seen Rai?" 

Everyone looked around noticing she was missing. A thud came from somewhere in the lower level. Racing down the stairs, Clover found her huddled in a tight ball with a frozen look of fear and taking sharp gasps of breath. 

"She's hyperventilating," Dustin said coming up behind the Slayer who had grabbed Rai by the shoulders. 

"Well somebody do something!" Gavin cried as Rai scrambled out of Clover's grasp and began clawing at the staircase to get by the others. 

Clover came up behind the girl, muttered an apology, knocked her unconscious, then carried her body back downstairs and laid her down in one of the carpeted corners. "Well," she said looking at the others, " one down, three to go." 

"That's comforting," Gavin replied. 

"Clover, I just wanted to tell you that I give you permission to hit me, but try not to mess up my hair and get anything on my new outfit," Cordelia said sitting back down. 

"Thanks Mom," Clover said while at the same time a very womanly like shriek was issued from Gavin who had jumped nimbly on top of the table. "Those pink little eyes, the swishing tails." 

"Oh please, "Clover muttered. 

"Stop asking," Dustin said suddenly. 

"I didn't say anything," both mother and daughter said at the same time. 

"I told you I don't know the answer!" 

"AHHHH!" Gavin cried scrambling to the middle of the table. 

Clover began advancing on her Watcher as her mother hit Gavin soundly on the back of the head with a book, and he slumped down. 

"Please," Dustin was saying, "I'm not ready for this, I'm only twenty-five. I can't take this sort of pressure." 

"Okay Dustin," Clover began, " let's take this one step at a time. Or not," she said quieting the noise with a backhanded slap. "Well, that takes care of that for a while at least," she said turning around to see her Mom lunging forward with a stake in her hand. "Mom, I knew you didn't like my outfit, but come on." Clover dodged and managed to knock her mother out as well. "Sorry Mom," she said heading toward the stairs up, " but I'll be back. Hopefully." 

Clover ran through the streets of SunnyDale admist shouts and cringing people who, for their own safety, she knocked out, and vampires who wanted to take advantage of the chaos but instead saw the Slayer and the end of their un-dead lives. 

"For crying out loud," Clover was almost screaming, " are there no hardware stores in this town? A Walmart?" 

Finally, however, she noticed a small shop on the main street and rushed into the open door to see a man with his legs drawn up on his counter and an statement of terror. He turned at the sound of the door chime, and he looked at her in awe. 

"Can't you see the water?" he questioned. "It's all around. How can you walk on it? Jesus?" 

"No," she answered dryly. "Now where are the batteries?" 

The man pointed towards the center aisle, and as she rushed by, she hit him as well. "I can't believe this," she cried gathering up as many candles, batteries and flashlights as she could easily carry. "Now let me use my genius Slayer instincts here," she mused as she found herself back on the street. "Where would I hide my demon self if I couldn't even stand moonlight?" 

A manhole came into view. "Let's see what's behind door number one." She pulled the cover off after setting down her items then climbing carefully down landing with a splash in the water and bracing the items once again to her chest. "Well, my boots are now ruined. Let me see, where is that lovely demon smell coming from?" Clover sniffed the air and decided that the smell was coming from behind her. She started walking that way careful not to drop the flashlights or batteries. 

The Slayer heard a noise and shone a large flashlight at it. The demon, which was tall with a huge head, skinny body, and scaly skin came into view and let out a scream as it ran for cover. Clover listened carefully and pointed the light at it again. 

The Celdar lunged for Clover and knocked her into the sewer water making her drop all the candles and flashlight. "You must be the Slayer," it hissed at her from somewhere to her right. 

Clover jumped up and felt around for a flashlight. She found two big ones, picked them up, and hoped they still worked despite the water seeped into them. She shinned one in the direction of the voice. Again the Celdar ran for cover only this time she took the other flashlight and aimed it. Clover was getting tired of playing hide and seek with this demon. "Okay, that's it. Let's get it on," she yelled as she pointed the other beam of light on it. 

"Just remember you wanted it done," it hissed at her. 

Suddenly a huge wall of fire between Clover and Celdar sprang into existence. Clover let out a scream and pressed herself toward the sewer wall dropping her flashlights. "It's not real," Clover told herself. "It won't hurt me." The Slayer took a deep breath and walked into the fire. 

The Celdar's mouth hung open. She had done it! The Slayer had faced her greatest fear and still lived. Clover took out a long knife hidden in the folds of her pants and stabbed the demon in its heart. It fell to the ground, but just to make sure it was dead and because she was mad at it for making people suffer, she bent down and snapped its neck. 

Very satisfied, Clover gathered up what was left of her tools and climbed back onto the surface streets. People seemed back to normal. Which was a good thing. Clover found her way back to the hardware and returned the items to the man who was waking up. "You just helped save the world," she told him as she walked out of the store. 

Once Clover got back to the "Batcave", she found everyone just as they were starting to wake up. When Cordelia saw her daughter, she ran over and gave her a huge hug mindful of her arm. 

"Sorry I had to knock you out," Clover told her Mom. 

"That's okay. Sorry I tried to stake you," Cordelia answered with a shrug. 

Clover looked over to see Rai and Gavin coming over to her. To her surprise, they wrapped her in a hug bear hug. 

"So, uh, Clover," Gavin said putting his left arm over her shoulders, " did I scream?" 

The Slayer removed her friend's arm. "Yeah, you screamed like a girl. But you're still cute." Gavin developed a silly grin across his face. 

"You did well Clover," Dustin told his Slayer with a small smile. 

"Thanks," Clover said with a shrug. "Now, who's up for pizza and old teen thriller movies at my house?" She turned to her Mom. "If it's okay with you Mom." 

Cordelia nodded her head yea. "I guess you are all going to relive my high school and later years of fighting vampires and demons." 

"Oh joy," Gavin said sarcastically. 

"Not really," Dustin confirmed, " with every century it gets worse." 

"And that's good how?" Rai asked. 

"It's not. That's why we have Slayers, " Dustin replied. 

"That'd be me," Clover announced. 

"You're the best," Cordelia said with a smile. 

They all walked out of the cave, then walked to the Chase house. They spent hours watching movies and eating pizza, each one knowing that another new danger could arise. Each knowing Clover or any one of them could die at anytime. But they all pushed it out of their minds, and watched the movies. They were safe. At least for a little while. 


	3. When Faith Comes a Knocking

****

When Faith Comes a Knocking   


Clover Chase sat across from a fresh grave waiting. The Chosen One took another sip of her extra big gulp. "Come on Mic, old buddy, rise already." She took another sip of her drink. "And hurry." Like a flash of lightning on a clear day, Clover felt nature calling. 

The grass on top of the grave starting moving. Clover took a stake out of her bag and waited only a few more seconds. The shell of what at one time had been football player Michael Davis rose from his grave. Without even thinking, Clover stuck the stake in his heart. The former Michael Davis exploded into dust. 

"Thank God," Clover muttered as she grabbed her bag and ran for the Quickly Mart across the street. 

As she vanished into the station's restrooms, a small, red, expensive looking sports car came to a sputtering halt in front of the cemetery gates. The car's owner attempted to crank the car two more times but to an avail. The car became silent, the driver's side door opened, and a pair of white tennis shoes stepped out. The young woman shut the door behind her and let out a very pent up sigh. 

"I can't believe you," she directed at the car. "If I ever see that salesman again I've going to stuff that commission he earned..." Her complaints ended in a muffled scream as she was knocked off her feet onto the grass by the road. 

At that same moment, Clover emerged from the station with a long sigh of relief and noticed the young woman struggling in the grasp of an attacking vampire. Clover noticed a median nearby, and ran up to it jumping. She did a half somersault in the air and landed on the sport car's roof. 

"Dead Dude," she called out to the figure looming over the woman, " why don't you pick on someone who is worth killing." 

The vampire turned toward her with a low growl. The Slayer jumped down and whipped out a stake. "Let's rumble," she said as she dodged a punch to the face. 

The woman, in the meantime, had crawled to a safe distance. When the girl jumped up to escape a kick in the knee, she noticed that there were scars along her right arm. 

Clover gave the vampire a roundhouse kick in the stomach, turned, and staked it as she pulled out. She then turned to see the woman had risen to her feet, and in the street light, she could see her clearly now. 

The woman stood around five-eight with a small frame. She had very pale skin, dark brown eyes, and long highlighted hair that varied from bown,red, and dark blond worn loose over shoulders. She was dressed in a small white spaghetti strap tank top and a pair of jeans. 

"Next time be more careful," Clover stated trying to think of a good explanation for what had just happened. "That man, he probably had rabies or something. I didn't even see him get away, there wasn't enough light. Oh well, nothing stolen or broken?" The woman shook her head. "Good. Well, there's a payphone at the station back there. I really have to be going." Clover turned on her heel and walked down the street. 

The woman watched her leave with an statement of disbelief. "Spike was right," she said to herself as she walked towards the phone, " this town is strange." 

*

Gavin spied out his friend Clover from across the quad. In his opinion, he thought she looked wonderful today. She had on her light blue canvas shoes combined with jeans and a matching little blue strapless shirt. Since the three weeks had passed since they had first met, Gavin had been proud of the fact that she had taken to not wearing her leather jacket at all even though her arm had caused quite a few comment from the "popular" crowd. 

He waved as Clover spotted him and came up to perch on the stairs with him. "Did you see President Justin last night?" Gavin questioned annoyed. "He interrupted at least twenty of my fifty prime time channels. Him and that wife of his, first lady Brittany Spears. Have you seen the footage of their past works on 'Where Are They Now'? And they wonder why no-one takes their foreign policy seriously." 

"Nope. Mom made me watch 'T.V. Land' with her last night when I got home. They had a whole Dawson's Creek marathon on. And we thought living on the Hellmouth was bad ; those people had serious problems." 

Their conversation was stalled as Rai came up to sit beside them. "Juice?" she questioned holding out two more. Gavin and Clover accepted, and they sipped in relative silence. 

"May I have your attention please," came Principal Rogers over the intercom. "I am pleased to announce that we have an unexpected speaker for our assembly this afternoon." 

"What is Rogers talking about?" Gavin questioned. 

"Oh, he's just being British," Rai repeated. 

"At least it gets us out of last period," Gavin added. "Some of us are not so fortunate as to have a Watcher as our principal that we get to pile through dusty books seventh hour." 

Clover smiled. "Yes, my physical ideal heaven. Well, I suppose we've had entirely too much dawdling for this morning. First hour awaits." 

*

The student body of SunnyDale High gathered noisily in the auditorium at the end of the day. Clover, Rai, and Gavin, though they stalled as much as possible, found themselves seated in the second row and gazing up at the stage which Dustin Rogers paced checking the sound system for the third time. 

"Seems the speaker's a little late," Rai observed watching Dustin's impatience. 

"Sorry I'm late," a young woman's voice called out from the side of the auditorium and the figure scrambled her way up the stage. Dustin Rogers looked up at the voice as did 

Clover. 

"Hey, wait a minute, that's the woman I rescued the other night," Clover told Rai and Gavin. 

"Yes, yes, you're late. That's obvious," Dustin Rogers replied as the woman placed her notes on the podium. "Just get on with the talk shall you. I'm rather late at the moment." 

"I would rather like an introduction," the woman said pointy tapping a manicured nail on Dustin's suit jacket. 

The principal gave another exasperated sigh and mumbled a few things no-one caught, then said hastily into the microphone, "Ladies and gentlemen, I believe you are all probably familiar with our speaker this afternoon. May I introduce prize winning horror novelist, Miss Alicia Price." 

Loud applause and whopping erupted from the audience allowing Alicia a few moments to scan the crowd as she usually did before a speech. Her eye alighted on one young lady in particular. "So," she whispered to herself as she smiled at the assembly, " as I thought." 

*

The whooshing of the bus doors sounded behind Faith as she stepped down and then moved back surveying a place she never thought to see again. The bruises that decorated her features discouraged most of the people around her from getting any closer, and those that had tried found a cold reception. Very cold indeed. 

*

The teenage trio, Gavin, Rai, and Clover, were all sitting in their usual places around the long table of the "Batcave" while Dustin emerged finally from the bookcases. 

"That insufferable woman," he said as he sat down in one of the chairs with one of his many ancient volumes of doom. 

"Who are you talking about?" Rai questioned for everyone else. 

"That, that Alicia Price woman. I just finished reading one of her novels, and I ask you, what does she know of the horrors of the world? Utter gibberious! And of course the school board worships her as a literacy genius, and of course they would pick my school for her to give a talk at!" Dustin elaborated. 

"Well she is from New Orleans, " Gavin put in, " I hear you've gotta be pretty quick to make it there." 

"Yes, well, excuse me for not rushing to beg for her autograph like the rest of SunnyDale," Dustin muttered. 

"Actually," Clover spoke up as she balanced a knife point down on her index finger, "I saved her from a vampire attack last night." 

"Guess not everyone in town wanted her autograph. Or maybe it was an un-dead fan," Gavin laughed. 

Dustin gave him an icy stare when made him quickly shut up, then looked back at Clover and said, "By the way, I have been meaning to ask if you had the Slayer Handbook from your previous Watchers?" 

Clover put the knife down slowly. "Oh, that book." She noticed Dustin's waiting gaze. "Well, when I gave you Mr. Holder's book,I needed something to balance out the television stand. What? Have you actually seen how long that book is? It could be the encyclopedia except it goes way past z. Isn't there a Cliff Notes version?" 

"Which means you haven't read it," Dustin said. 

"No, not really," Clover admitted. "I did get to page two, but it kinda went downhill from there. No plot structure." 

Dustin took a deep, cleansing breath, counted to ten, and then muttered 'insufferable' under his breath a few times which caused the trio to grin. "All right," he finally said, " I will meet you at the Bronze at 11:00 sharp. From there we will go to the cemetery." 

"Freedom!" Clover exclaimed gathering up her books and heading for the stairs with Gavin and Rai behind her. 

"11:00!" Dustin yelled to their retreating backs. "Sharp!" 

*

Rai walked into the Bronze wearing her new outfit that she really was quite proud of ; a pink stripped shirt, jean pants and brown ankle high boots. She spotted Clover at a table alone and walked over. 

"Hey," Clover said looking up from her drink. "So, where's Gavin?" 

Rai took a seat next to her friend and took a sip from the coke. "He and the guys are 

backstage setting up." 

Just as Rai finished talking, the lights in the Bronze dimmed. The stagelights came on and flashed colored as small lights popped everywhere. Gavin and his bandmates, Coal and Nick, took the stage. 

"Hi, we're Unica, and we're gonna make you sweat," Coal announced into the mike. The band started a number and people immediately got up to dance. Alicia Price watched Clover and her friends from the shadows. 

Two hours later, Dustin made his way into the club. He spotted Clover and Rai on the dance floor and Gavin and the band on the stage. He found their table and took a seat. A few minutes later, the trio cam up to the table. "Have you staked any vampires?" Dustin asked as he whipped out his notebook. 

Clover grinned at her Watcher. "Nope." 

"And why not?" Dustin demanded causing his chair to fall and a few people to turn their attention towards the group. Dustin pick up his chair sheepishly and sat back down. 

"Whoa, lay off the coffee there D-man," Gavin commented. 

"Do you want to be suspended for life?" Dustin asked with a glance in his direction. 

Clover got up out of her chair. "Let's go Dustin, the un-dead await." 

"Yes, I think that's for the best." 

They made their way to the door unaware that Alicia Price was following them. 

*

Dustin was just about to go to sleep when a knock sounded on his townhouse door. He walked over and answered it. There, standing in the doorway was an older, more scared, ex-slayer Faith. 

After the Watcher's Council had heard of her betrayal to Buffy Summers, they had decreed that if she ever woke from her coma, she would no longer be allowed to be connected to anything pertaining to the Slayer. The only problem was that she still had her powers. 

"I have a message for you," Faith said matter-of-factly. "It's from Chris Barron." Faith spat the name out like it was poison and flopped down on the couch. 

Dustin closed the door. He was, to say the least, startled. Faith coming back to SunnyDale. was a big surprise, but for her to talk of Clover's missing Watcher! 

"What do you mean?" he sputtered. "What are you doing here?" 

"I told you," she answered simply, "I have a message for you." She reached inside of her jacket causing Dustin to tense, and pulled out a small piece of parchment with a wax seal. "Cool it Watcher," she said as she handed the paper to him. He took it from her hastily. 

Dustin glanced down at the incomprehensible seal in confusion. "What does this mean?" 

"I thought you people were supposed to have all the answers. It means," she explained slowly with a small smile, " the signal of the ' Mating', and that you're playing with a very spiteful demon since he's letting you know ahead of time. He's been watching your Slayer for quite sometime and apparently like what he see. He's chosen her." 

"Oh dear. Wait a minute, you're telling me that Clover's ex-Watcher who supposingly disappeared was, is, a demon whose chosen her for some strange ceremony. How long has he been watching her?" 

"Look," Faith said standing up and moving towards the door, "I'm just the messenger. I don't have any answers. I'm just an ex-Slayer, a renegade remember." Faith opened the door and stepped outside. 

"Wait," Dustin called coming to stand in the doorway. Faith turned and waited expectantly. "Why did he choose you to deliver the message?" 

She shrugged. "Because I was once a Slayer. Because I was there. Because I'm strong, I could carry his message without getting killed. Besides, if I hadn't he would h ave had be killed anyway. I'm not exactly evil you know," she said softly but put a small joke in between them. "Anyway, it was either this or bowling. Look, he's scary, he's strong, and he's killed a lot of people Watcher," she warned as she began to walk away. "Warn her." She disappeared into the shadows of the night. 

*

The next day at school, Dustin was looking for Clover when he saw Alicia Price walking toward him. He quickly started to look for a place to hide. He dodged students and teachers but to no avail. Alicia Price caught up with him. 

"Mr Rogers," she said as she cornered him at the stairs, "I've been looking for you." 

"Really," Dustin managed to say, " and why is that may I ask?" 

"Because," Alicia said as if he should already know, " the school board just hired me to be the new creative writing teacher. The old one is missing. Has been for three months." The last she added with a note of curiosity in her voice. 

Dustin swallowed hard. This insufferable woman was going to be at his school all the time. ' First the Hellmouth, then the Mating, now this,' he thought to himself, then said out loud , " And how may I ask did they talk a famous writer like yourself into teaching at a school like this?" 

"They didn't talk me into it," she answered, "I volunteered. These children deserve a chance to let loose their creative juices. They are stifled with regular classes. I am needed here," she ended over dramatically. 

"Yes, well, if you will excuse me Miss Price I am needed over there, somewhere." He waved vaguely in the direction of the office and took off in that direction. "Strange woman," Dustin mumbled to himself. "God help me." 

"Strange man," Alicia said as she watched him walk away. "Kind of cute though. What is it with me and British men?" she wondered turning away. 


	4. The Knife,The Demon,and Spike

****

The Knife, the Demon and Spike 

****

New Orleans, Louisiana

The British vampire walked drunkenly through the Garden District of New Orleans, Louisiana. "Where the hell did that woman live again?" he asked himself out loud. He turned down a street and came to a small, picture perfect looking house. The vampire walked to the door and banged loudly on the old oak. After a few minutes and neighbors threatening to call the cops, he just broke the door open. 

He looked around the dark living room. "Writer?" he yelled out into the darkness. The vampire went upstairs to the bedroom. "you haven't finished my autobiography yet dammit! Bloody hell, don't tell me I killed her and forgot!" 

The vampire started looking through her desk drawers, and then spotted the answering machine where a little red light flashed on and off. He pressed play. " Hey, it's Claire. The ticket to SunnyDale, California is in. Although why you'd want to go to a small town like that in the middle of nowhere is beyond me." 

The vampire's face changed into its true demonic form, and he pulled the machine out of the wall and threw it at a window. "I can't believe she went to SunnyHell! Now I've got to go back there. Oh well, I hear there's a new Slayer there, might be fun." 

He left the house and walked back to his car. The vampire jumped in and headed for SunnyDale...again. 

****

SunnyDale

"Ah, the annual school field trip to the zoo," Gavin McNeal stated as he walked up to his cousin and her best friend. "And what are you two girls doing?" 

Rai Shields and her best friend the Slayer, Clover Chase, turned to Gavin. "Watching the elephants do X-rated stuff," Rai answered. 

Clover smiled at him. "Where are Coal and Nick?" 

"Feeding chips to the bears. They said they'd be here in a half an hour, or when it gets old." 

"Ahhh," both girls answered at the same time as Dustin popped up behind them. 

"God, Rogers, now I need a new pair of shorts," Gavin said as he almost fell backwards into the elephant pit. 

Dustin gave the young man a faint laugh. "Your teenage humor is lacking in structure Gavin. It is an entirely good thing you are not graded on this field trip," he said in general, " as you three seem to enjoy certain, shall we say, naturalistic aspects of the zoological world." 

"Hey Dustin," Gavin answered, "I think that elephant's giving you the eye. Bet its thinking about you." 

"Come on Dustin, like you've never watched animals mate before," Rai said as she gave the British man a raised eyebrow. 

"Mating?" Dustin questioned distracted and turned to her and the others flustered. "What have you heard about the 'mating'? Who have you three been talking to?" He noticed the looks of confusion they were giving him. "Um," he began looking around for a way out, " isn't that Miss Price over there at the gift shop? Isn't she motioning me over? Perhaps I should see if she needs anything. It could be important." 

The trio watched him walk away in a hurry. They turned back to the elephants as Coal and Nick came up to them. 

"Ah, Miss Price, what a nice bust," Dustin said as he came up to the entrance of the gift shop. 

Alicia looked up at him with a mixture of confusion and reddening cheeks. "Excuse me?" she questioned crossing her arms self-consciously. 

He pointed inside of the shop. "That bust of the dolphins." 

She turned around and looked in the window of the shop. "Oh. Yes. It's lovely," she said quickly recovering and blushing even more. 

Dustin saw the color creeping over her face and asked in confusion, "Why Miss Price, what did you think I was referring to? Oh, yes, well, I," he muttered as understanding came. 

Alicia smiled then and half taunted, "Mr. Rogers, I do believe you owe me an apology. How exactly do you feel about seafood?" 

"Seafood? Well, I suppose I like it all right, though its not English food," he answered. "Why? Miss Price are you asking me out on a date?" 

"That depends," she replied twirling a strand of hair between her fingers, " are you accepting?" 

*

Clover walked through the town surveying her surroundings with her observant senses. It was a simple rustle in some nearby bushes rather than any creepy feeling coming over her that caught her attention. She walked slowly toward the bushes slipping a stake from her hand and grateful she had worn her sneakers and their padded sneaking ability. 

Suddenly, and without warning, it jumped out at her with a loud primal growl issuing deep from within its throat. Clover got one quick look at the demon before the fight began, and it disgusted her. Scaly, brown armor covered every part of the thick waisted bald humaniod-like creature, and when it opened its jaws wider than Clover dreamed possible it revealed row after row of sharpened teeth. 

"I don't have any time to play little girl. I must retrieve the Burning Cross for Kelmarc," he said as he grabbed her and threw her firmly against a brick wall trying to pin her. 

Clover got up quickly and rolled her neck back and forth to get the knots out. She looked around, but the demon was gone. The Slayer started walking then felt a burning sensation in the back of her right leg. Looking down , she saw a huge gash running down her leg. 

"Dammit," she muttered. She started home to get patched up and grab that old knife Dustin had lent her to kill the Celdar with. For some reason, she felt she would need it. 

*

Clover entered her house and immediately felt a strange presence. She limped up the stairs and into the bathroom. She found the first-aid kit and walked into her bedroom thankful her mother was still doing late work at the office. 

Clover opened the kit and took out a large sterile bandage. Leaning down and propping her leg on the edge of her bed, she ripped the remaining leg of her pants open and began cleaning the wound all the time conscious of the strange feeling that someone of the undead variety was around. 

The feeling began to get stronger, and she tensed as she heard an unfamiliar, heavy accented, British punk voice speaking behind her in a rather slurred manner. " ' Clover, came home early so I thought I'd rent a movie for us and get some ice cream. Love Mom. P.S., I brought a stake with me, don't worry. Dinner's in the oven' ." 

Clover turned sharply and stared at the man framed in the shadows of her doorway. He was dressed in black pants with matching boots, a red silk shirt and a black leather jacket. His hair was colored a startlingly blond platinum and was cut short in a rocker look that accented his high cheekbones. He was tall, lanky, and was holding a note obviously written by Clover's Mom between two of his long fingers. 

"Who are you?" Clover questioned angrily at his invasion of her home. 

"Spike," he answered looking up from the note as if she should already know the answer. "And you're the Slayer, Clover Chase." 

Quickly grabbing a stake, Clover changed her manner from tense to a fighting stance. "How did you get in here vampire? I'm pretty sure my Mom didn't invite you in," she added. 

"Actually, no," Spike replied not in the least bit alarmed. "Let's do a little Slayer genealogy here. Former Slayer Buffy Summers invited me. Hot, little chick; she went for those soul having guys." A dreamy grin formed on his lips. "But, for a couple of years we...uh...worked off steam together." 

"Well I didn't invite you, so why don't you get the hell out of my house demon before you end up fitting inside of an ashtray!" 

"Tsk, tsk Slayer, being rude to your guest," Spike warned with a wagging finger. 

Clover's angry retort was cut short by the front door slamming shut and her mother's voice yelling up the stairs, " Clover, are you here? I got the movie and chocolate ice cream, your favorite. Clover?" Cordelia's heels tapped up the carpeted stairs, and both Spike and Clover watched as she stopped at the landing gazing at her daughter's doorway and the two figures seen within. 

To Clover's surprise, Cordelia looked calmly at the vampire and said simply, "Spike. What are you doing here?" 

"Hello Cordelia," he replied leaning in the doorway. 

"Wait, wait, hold up a minute," Clover cried, " you two know each other? Mother, just how many vampires do you know in case they came visiting. I can invite them in too." 

"Now listen here young lady," Cordelia warned, "I only knew... a few, and anyway, what I did in my youth really isn't any of your business." She then turned to Spike. "And what are you doing in my house?" 

"I'm looking for a woman." 

"Well, aren't we all," Clover said sarcastically, " but I really don't think you're gonna find one here." 

"Listen here Slayer, that's not what I meant. I'm looking for a woman, a writer from New Orleans. She slipped out on me, I was only gone a year, or two. I don't really remember. She was supposed to finish my autobiography, and she skipped out on me the little bitch. She'll be lucky if I don't decide to kill her anyway when I find her," Spike explained anger growing with each sentence until Clover tensed again and Cordelia backed up a few steps. 

"And you thought you'd find her here?" Clover asked puzzled. 

"No, I was a little hungry," he admitted with a smile, " and since I was once invited and all, thought I could use a free meal. But since another bloody Slayer lives here," he said with a gesture to Clover, "I suppose that cancels that." 

"Damn right!" Clover growled. "Now why don't you get the hell outta here before I help you along." 

"Fine," Spike said walking past her and towards her opened window, " but remember," he called as he jumped out, "I'm still invited." 

Hold up Mom," Clover said walking past her mother to the phone in the hall, " you can yell at me for cussing in a minute." 

She reached in her jean pocket, pulled out a crumbled piece of notebook paper, and began dialing the number Dustin had given her that afternoon before she had left for her patrol. 

*

Dustin Rogers sat on the couch while Alicia Price poured him another cup of tea as they waited for the crawfish to finish simmering. "When you asked me for dinner," Dustin said after taking a drink, "I never dreamed you'd be cooking." 

"Do you think there are any authentic seafood restaurants with Cajun items on the menu in California?" she questioned sitting down next to him. Alicia then gave him a strange look. 

"What?" he questioned nervously. 

"Look," she began setting down her cup, " please don't think me rude Dustin, but do you ever wear anything except black slacks, a green shirt and blazer?" 

"Um,yes,well," Dustin said with slight couch, " you see, the thing is I am rather young for my office as principal you see, and well, I suppose, that is I thought this outfit would make me appear more mature and authority towards the student body." 

"Yes, and just the other day someone came up to me on the field trip and said just how mature Mr. Rogers looked," Alicia replied holding back a laugh. 

"You don't have to lie to me Alicia," Dustin said as he started to laugh with her, when a moment later the phone rang. 

"Will you excuse me for a moment," she said picking up the cordless phone on the coffee table. "Hello? Um, yes he's here. Just a second." Alicia placed her hand over the receiver and looked at Dustin curiously. "It's for you, it's Clover Chase. Is there any particular reason one of your students is tracking you down that I should know about Dustin?" 

"No, of course not," Dustin said taking the phone from her and looking around for someplace else to take the call.The simple loft apartment consisted of a connecting living, kitchen and dinning room, a bedroom only a few steps above and the bathroom. He placed the phone to his ear. "Hello. Oh, it's quite alright. Alright. The what? I don't believe I've ever heard of that one. Yes, I'm sure they will. Who? Yes I know who he is, not very old. I could tell you the age, but not right now." For some reason Dustin turned to Alicia and raised a dark eyebrow. "Are you sure?" he questioned into the phone. "Okay, I'll research it after school. Perhaps you should bring along your mother. Alright, I'll see you there. Thank you, I am too." Dustin slowly put down the phone and sat back without looking at Alicia. 

"Is something wrong?" she questioned with concern. 

Dustin folded his hands together and questioned without emotion, "Do you know Spike?" 

Alicia looked away as if she didn't know what to say then stammered out, "Dustin you see I was, and he was, and we, but then...." 

"I see," he said rising off the couch before she could finish and taking up his jacket. "Well, goodnight Miss Price." Before she could respond, he had opened the door and left her standing there with the timer in the background and a few tears in her eyes. 

*

"I don't believe it," Rai said as she and Clover walked through the quad the next day at school. "Miss Price? How did Rogers take it?" 

Clover shrugged. "Don't know. He sounded betrayed on the phone though. I guess their dinner was cut short. But that's not the weirdest part. Buffy Summers invited Spike into our house. He's probably been in our room before too. Eww! And that demon who was looking for the Burning Cross for K-mart." 

"I didn't know K-Mart carried burning crosses," Rai said with a wry smile. 

Clover pushed her friend lightly. " Ha, ha very funny Rai. I was being thrown against a wall, I may have gotten the name a little confused." 

Rai pushed Clover back. "Sure Clove, or maybe you just need a hearing aid." 

Their conversation was cut short when they heard a male voice behind them. "Rai, Chase, wait up." The girls turned to see a tall, thin seventeen year old junior behind them. His blue eyes looked like they were always sad and a bush of brown hair on his head. 

"Hey Nick," both girls said at once. 

Nick started walking with them. "I come with a message from Gavin. He told me that he can't make that thing after school today." The girls looked at him for more information. 

"Oh right, band meeting. Coal dyed his hair black! The whole thing with the band was that it was three brunettes who are tall, lanky and only wore bowling shirts and baggy pants. He broke the rules! Man!" Nick kicked a trash can. "But, got to go girls late for class." 

The girls turned and watched him go, then turned back to each other. 

"Wow, and I thought I had big problems," Clover said. 

"Well, that's Nick Green for you, always blowing things out of proportion." 

"Glad he doesn't know I'm the Slayer. He'd die of worrying in two days." 

*

After the end of the school day, Dustin ,Clover, Rai and Cordelia gathered in the underground to discuss certain aspects of last night. 

"I have been researching the Burning Cross," Dustin began as everyone sat down in their usual places around the table, They all turned to look at him expectantly. ""It seems to reefer to a knife from what I gather," he said opening a book and showing them a small black and white drawing. 

"Wait a second, "Clover said turning the book towards her and looking more closely, " that's the knife I used to kill the Celdar with. Right at this moment it's sitting on my dresser next to my Winnie the Pooh bear." 

"Why did you keep the knife?" Cordelia questioned. 

"You have a Winnie the Pooh bear, still?" 

Clover shrugged. "Just forgot about it. And yes." 

"Well, I suggest you get it back here right away," Dustin told her. 

"Wait, what I don't understand," Rai said, " is why this demon would want Clover, Dustin's knife anyway." 

Dustin grabbed back the book and started paraprashing. "All it says here is that it's used for some ritual. That's the only reference in my entire collection." 

"And what about that demon who was after it?" questioned Rai. "I really don't see a demon going up to the customer services desk at K-Mart and asking if this knife is included on the blue light special." 

"Kelmarc," Dustin corrected absently picking up another book and turning away from the group to sit on the staircase. "From what I can gather he is some form of demon, abit stronger than most." 

Clover watched him with his lack of information, and just checked it off as emotions from what he had found out last night explaining his unusual behavior today. 

Dustin then got up and began making his way down the stairs to the lower level when the voice of Alicia Price drifted down the stairs from Dustin's office. "Dustin? Look, I know you're down there so it will be no use hiding, I need to talk to you." 

The group watched stunned as Alicia walked down the stairs and stood at the end gazing at the group itself. Dustin, who had turned sharply at her voice, came back up the stairs and stood there looking at her as well with an unemotional mask. 

Cordelia was the first to make any move. She walked over calmly to Alicia and held out her hand. "Hello, I'm Cordelia Chase, Clover's mother," she said breezily as the two shook hands. 

"Um, hello," Alicia answered, "I'm Alicia Price." 

Cordelia looked at her with interest, turned to look at Dustin, then directed her question to the writer. "Are you and Dustin dating? " Before Alicia could answer, Cordelia said to her daughter, "Clover, dear, never date a vampire with a soul or Miss Price here will wind 

up dead. Trust me, I've had experience with these things." 

"Sure Mom," Clover said shaking her head as her mother sat back down, " whatever you say. I'll make a note of it on my calendar." 

"This isn't what it looks like," Rai spoke up not knowing what else to say after a look to Dustin. 

"Of course it is," Alicia replied with a small smile. "Clover is the Slayer, Dustin is her Watcher. I've been following her on patrols every night since I got here." 

"I knew I felt a presence on patrol the other night," Clover said as if she had just found the answer to a math problem. 

"Again you betray me!" Dustin cried throwing the book he had been holding on the table causing Rai and Cordelia to jump. "I'm betting Alicia Price isn't even your real name," he accused. 

Alicia snorted. "Of course it is. Listen, it's really simple. Spike found me in New Orleans, and he knew I was a horror writer. He told me he'd kill me if I didn't write his autobiography. So I really had no course. But then he left. He had said SunnyDale was on a Hellmouth and Slayers sometimes lived here. So, I thought I'd see for myself. Look, I know it sounds weird, but I think Spike has come back looking for me to finish the book. Trust me, his ego is worse than his bite so to speak." 

Clover glanced at her. "You're right, he is in town." 

Alicia walked over to the table and took a seat next to Cordelia. Dustin also took a seat only next to Clover. "Let's not worry about Spike right now," the Watcher told them. "Now we have to worry about this Kelmarc and Burning Cross. Rai, could you get on the Internet and see what you can find. Clover, you'll have to go home and get that knife before someone else does. Alicia, Cordelia, and I will look in the books." 

"Hey, wait a minute, we're just going to trust her?" Clover asked with an alarmed finger pointing at Alicia. 

"We have no choice. Alicia knows too much as it is. Besides, I'd rather have her on our side," Dustin replied without looking at Alicia across the table. 

"Okay," Clover answered getting up out of her chair. "I'll be back in a bit." She gave Alicia a dangerous look before going up the stairs. 

"Be careful," Cordelia, Dustin and Rai called after her at the same time. 

*

Clover walked briskly down her street when suddenly she felt a hand brush against her right arm. She turned sharply and saw a grinning Gavin on his skateboard behind her holding up his hands in a gesture of peace. 

"Whoa, alittle too much caffeine for the Clove," he responded to her quick reflexes. 

"Sorry," she sighed. " I really have to get home. I gotta get this knife. There's some demon in town who's working for this other demon named Kelmarc." 

"No prob Ms. Slayer baby, I'll help," Gavin spoke up and gestured down at his skateboard. "We can use my wheels here." 

Clover laughed at his words. "This demon is really big, really strong, and could catch you off guard. If I wasn't the Slayer I would have been killed the other night, " Clover admitted. "And I don't want anything to happen to you Gavin." 

She put her hand on his shoulder, and he reached down to clasp her other in his. They stood that way for a few moments until Clover took her hands away gently and said cheerily, "Well, I've gotta go. See you in school tomorrow." 

She took off down the street at a jog while Gavin watched a moment and took off in the direction of his own home to ponder what had just happened. 

*

After Clover had left, Rai and Cordelia situated themselves on the first level of the "Batcave" while Dustin and Alicia, thorough some unvoiced agreement, had gone below to search through the Watcher's volumes. 

Alicia, who was seated cross-legged on the floor with a book in her lap, leaned back to the wall and yawned. "I really don't think we're getting anywhere here Dustin," she called to the Watcher who has hidden from her view behind a row of books. "Dustin?" she questioned after not getting an answer. She got off from the floor and found him between two rows of books with a worried frown. 

"I've found it," he whispered to himself not knowing she was behind him. 

"Found what?" Alicia questioned coming to peer over his shoulder. 

Dustin turned around startled. "Nothing, nothing at all," he replied quickly clutching the book and trying to pass her. 

"Come on, let me see," Alicia demanded trying to pry the book out of his hands. Finally, after much struggling, Alicia managed to wrestle the book away from him and read the page he had been hiding from her. " The 'mating' ? So this Kelmarc guy needs Clover's knife for a ritual called the 'mating' ." 

"Yes, actually the demon Kelmarc and her missing Watcher Chris Barron are one in the same. He has been watching her since before she became a Slayer. Only the most powerful demons in the world work for him. Clover is in great danger, and though I'm not entirely sure what part this knife plays, with or without it, he will still come for her." 

"Did you tell her?" Alicia asked and watched the guilty look come over him. 

"No," he said quietly, "I just never got around to it. Faith, a girl who was once a Slayer, told me to warn her, but I never did. Kelmarc wanted her alive to tell his message," Dustin added softly, " imagine what he can do to Clover." 

"Considering the details and name of this ritual," Alicia replied laying a hand on Dustin's arm, "I don't think he wants to kill Clover, Dustin. I think he wants a child from her. Think of it, half demon, half Slayer, who could stop it?" 

Alicia followed Dustin as he slowly sat almost dazed on the last step of the stairs. She sat down quietly next to him and waited. "There's an ancient propchey," he began in monotone. 

"Isn't there always?" 

Dustin gave her a grateful smile and continued. "It speaks of a Slayer bearing a demon's child, so powerful that no-one will be able to stop its evil, and so the Apocalypse will begin and humanity will truly end signaling the return of the old ones." 

Alicia put a comforting hand over his own. "It's risky," she told him as he turned to look at her, " but I think Spike can help us." Dustin jerked back in alarm and tried to shake his head. "Think about it," she continued, " he's a vampire. He can get his hands on things that may have a way to stop the 'mating' from happening. Plus, if all ofKelmarc's demons are so tough, he may be able to help Clover defeat them, She's just a little girl," she added sorrowfully, " she tries to act tough, hardened, but she's not really." 

"Why would Spike help us?" Dustin questioned in a tired voice. 

"Sure, he's a vampire, but do you think he really wants the world to end? Billions and billions of people to feed off of, where would he go for dinner if no-one was here? Besides, he once told me he missed having someone worthy to fight; he wanted to add another Slayer to his total." 

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer eh?" he smiled. "I suppose its the best we can come up with lov. Find him,and tell him if he lays a hand on her, I'll kill him myself." 

"You really care about these kids don't you," Alicia stated after squeezing his hand once then starting up the stairs. 

He listened as she climbed the stairs. Only then did he whisper, " Yes, yes I do." 

Once she reached the first level, Cordelia turned to her with alarm in her eyes. "I hope Clover's alright. She's been gone a long time." 

"Don't worry," Alicia replied, "I'm going to get help. I hope," she whispered the last to herself. 

*

Alicia found Spike feeding off a young girl outside of a place called The Fish Tank. When he saw her, he dropped the body and gave her a wicked grin. "Writer." There was laughter in his voice. "So you come looking for me. It is a twist." 

Alicia looked at him with a hardened frown on her lips. "I don't have time Spike, so listen up and shut up for a change. The Slayer's in trouble, and she needs your help." 

"Why would I help her?" Spike questioned laughing. 

The young horror writer swallowed hard. "Because William. if you don't the knife will be taken,and the mating will take place. Kelmarc's not messing around. Besides, I thought you wanted to kill another Slayer." 

Spike gazed at the writer with horror in his eyes. When he had heard the word 'mating' and Kelmarc, his face had changed from a demon's to that of a handsome man. Alicia could tell he was scared. "What would I have to do?" he asked still trying to sound tough. 

"Get books for Dustin and help Clover kill any of Kelmarc's other minions that show up. And when it's done, I'll finish your story and you can leave town." 

Spike gave her another smile. "And what makes you think I'll leave? I think I'll stay on a while. I miss fighting a Slayer. She's got fire,and she's hot. Younger, blonder, more taller and tonned version of her mum. By the way, where is the little bitch?" 

Alicia gave him a disgusted look. "That's just sick. But she's at her house. Hurry." 

Spike nodded as his face changed, lit a cigarette and jumped in his car. He sped away toward the Chase home while Alicia prayed for Clover's safety. 

*

Clover ran into her house, up the stairs, into her room and over to her dresser on the left side of her door. The Slayer ran back down the stairs. She was only two steps to the bottom when she saw it again; the demon who had ripped her leg with its armor. She quickly put the knife in her back pocket, but not fast enough since the demon's eyes lit up as it recognized it. 

"Give me the Burning Cross little girl," it growled at her. 

"Say please," Clover taunted trying not to be afraid. 

It let out a loud snarl and plunged itself at her. It had her pinned down again. clover braced herself for the end. No, she told herself, I won't give up that easily. I'm the Slayer, it's up to me. Clover looked over the armor and noticed that its groin was not protected. So, without hesitating, she kicked him there. The demon howled out in pain and staggered backwards. 

That gave Clover time to vault over the railing and make dash to the back door. She ran outside knowing the demon was right behind her. She also knew she had to get it away from people that might be on the streets. She made a mad sprint for SunnyDale Park. 

Once at the park, Clover had barely enough time to hide. She climbed an old oak tree and waited for the demon to come to her. She didn't have to wait long. 

Clover watched as a figure emerged from the trees in front of her. She could tell in the moonlight his hair was white. She watched astonished as the vampire idly tapped the approaching demon on the scaly shoulder. 

"Excuse me mate," he said as the demon turned around and met Spike's fist. 

"Well, I'll be damned," Clover muttered, " there's a vampire attacking a demon for me. What is the Hellmouth coming to?" She gazed for a few seconds as Spike and the demon fought, then grabbed the knife. She gazed for a few seconds as Spike and the demon fought, then grabbed the knife. 

"I suppose I'll have to help him," she sighed, then jumped out in between the demon and vampire. "I believe you're looking for me," she announced with her hand on her hip. 

"I can handle this Slayer," Spike rumbled. 

"Sorry Spike, but my knife, my demon, my fight." 

"I don't bloody believe this!" he cried trying to push her to the side. At that moment, the demon decided there had been enough taking and made a grab for the knife. 

"I don't think so," Clover said pushing Spike out of the way and grappling for the weapon with the demon. 

Spike choose that distraction to attack the demon from the side flinging him to the ground causing the knife to be flung in the air and land a few feet away. The demon barely spared a glance for Spike and Clover, and rolled for the knife, but Clover got there first and held the knife above the demon. 

"Get him while he's down!" Spike yelled at her from the sidelines. 

Clover hesitated for a split second, then with a decisive flick of her wrist, slit the demon's throat, The armored body lay still. 

"Ironic, don't you think," she said to the unmoving demon as the knife dribbled a few drops of blood on the ground. 

The sound of slow clapping echoed in the still night. Clover turned to face Spike. "Well, done Slayer, well done indeed." 

"Thanks, but I could've done it without your help. We make a strange team," she added wiping the blade on the grass and placing in back behind her pants. 

"Yeah, worked with Slayers before," he answered with a mocking smile, " suppose I'm going to have to again." 

"What do you mean?" she questioned alarmed. 

"You'll see," he replied. "Good night Slayer, sleep tight, don't let the vampires bite," Spike called in a singsong voice as he turned to stroll down the street away from the park. 

Clover looked after him in confusion. "What the hell was that all about?" she questioned out loud, then turned herself with a wide smile and began to make her way home. 

*

"So everything's okay then?" Rai asked as she took a seat next to Clover and pushed some dirt off her light blue dress. 

"Yeah," Gavin answered sticking a piece of gum in his mouth. "Coal said it would be cool if we had a different color hair theme. So Nick's dying his red, or blond, or maybe both. I'm not sure. But we're all going to still wear bowling shirts." 

"Well that's great. But you have to admit that wasn't that big of a deal like Nick made it out to be." Rai shook her head in disbelief. 

"Gavin, Rai, there you two are. Have you seen Clover this morning? Miss Price and I have something to ask her," Dustin asked as he and Miss Price popped up to the right of them. 

"God," Gavin said with a small jump. "Now he's got her doing it too. Warn people when you do that!" 

"Sorry, it's just we are in kind of a hurry," Dustin said. 

"Guys!" a voice called from behind them. They all turned to see Clover walking toward them. Her hair spread over her shoulders, she wore a red short sleeve shirt with a cross on the front, a pair of brown pants, and matching ankle high brown boots. "Guess what," she said as she squeezed in between Rai and Gavin on the bench. "I killed the demon with the help of Spike. Yeah for me." 

Rai and Gavin turned to look at her as if she had just said all cows were purple. "What?" she asked the both of them. 

"He's not that bad. I couldn't have done it without him." 

"Are you crazy?" Gavin demanded angrily jumping up and turning on the Slayer. 

"No," Clover said rolling her eyes. "He saved me. I couldn't have done it without him. Besides, it's not like he's going to do it again. Right Dustin?" she directed the last to her Watcher. 

"Um, I don't know. Miss Price, would you look at the time, shouldn't we go?" he asked nervously. 

"Oh yes, I'm late for class," she answered as she grabbed her arm. The pair walked to the stairs together in a hurry. 

"What's up with them?" Clover asked as she forced Gavin to sit back down. 

"They know Slayers shouldn't play with vampires," Gavin answered folding his arms and turning away from the girls like a child who hadn't gotten his way. 

The girls gave him looks, then turned to each other. "I think they're just being grownups," Rai guessed. 

Clover shrugged. "I just hope I never become like that." 

Gavin turned back to them with a smile. "Right there with you Clove." 

"Me too," Rai nodded. 

Dustin walked Alicia to her class. She stood there in the doorway. "Why didn't you tell her?" 

Dustin looked away. "It wasn't a good time, I doubt it will ever be." 

The writer looked down sheepishly. "Dustin, do you think... do you think she's forgiven me?" 

The Watcher gave her a smile. "I have, haven't I?" Before Alicia could answer, Dustin grabbed her, wrapped her in his arms, and gave her a long kiss. 

*

Somewhere on the other side of town, Spike had set up house. He had ordered flowers and expected the delivery person to be there any minute. 

He thought about last night. Again he had helped a Slayer. Again he had enjoyed kicking the crap out of a bad guy. Even with the chip deactived, he had enjoyed kicking the crap out of a bad guy. Spike knew it was wrong, but her truly didn't want Kelmarc to get the Slayer and the world. 

There was a knock at the door. Spike's face changed into its true form. He opened the door and pulled the young man in. the vampire stuck his fangs into the man's neck. When he had sucked him dry, Spike dropped the body to the floor. 

"It's good to be home," he said with a wicked smile. 


	5. My Dad is a Vampire!

Cordelia Chase lay in her king size bed and looked over at her nightstand. There, a picture of a man in his mid-twenties with curly blond hair, forest green eyes, broad shoulders and tanned skin stared back at her. His name had been Groo , and he had died only three weeks before their wedding day. She had only been one week pregnant with Clover at the time. 

"Knock, knock," said a voice in the doorway. Cordelia looked over to see Clover standing there wearing a white strapless shirt, a long pink skirt with a slit on the left side, and two inch white heeled shoes. Her hair was curled and fell around her shoulders. In her hands was a tray piled with toast, juice and a single red rose. 

Corelia sat up in bed and smiled at her daughter's thoughtfulness. "You brought me breakfast in bed, how sweet. What do you want?" 

Clover looked at her mother with big innocent eyes. She placed the tray on the bed, then sat herself on the edge next to her mother. "Who? Me? Can't a girl just give her mother a nice breakfast in bed?" 

Cordelia answered, "No, not unless she wants something. Well?" 

"Nothing, I just wanted to bring you breakfast, it's not like I want anything," Clover replied smiling. 

"Of course you don't," Cordelia answered buttering a piece of toast, " so make it easier on both of us and spill it." 

"Well, it's like this Mom," Clover began, " Dustin's been making me train and work out a lot lately. I don't know why, it's not like the Apocalypse or something is coming. And, well, I thought tonight I could go somewhere away from Dustin and sweaty training sessions." 

"And where would this place be?" 

Clover absently picked at a stray tread of her mother's silk covers. "Movie. Rated R. Need parent permission," she said quickly. 

"Name of movie. Who would you go with? Where? Time there and back? I'm a parent, I need to know these things," Cordelia countered. 

"Well mommy, my favorite. The Portrait is this movie about a painter and his, umm, relationships. Very intellectual. And Gavin and Rai would be coming around eightish, and since I'll patrol afterward, I should be back around one, two, three, possibly three at the latest." 

Cordelia sighed. "I suppose it's better me giving you my permission than having you brought home by a cop or something else. How would that look? Cordelia Chase's daughter brought home... but go have fun." 

"Thank you!" Clover cried kissing her mother on the cheek. "You're the greatest!" The girl headed towards the door. "By the way," she said as she opened it, " it's almost noon, shouldn't you be up by now?" 

Clover walked out the door leaving Cordelia alone to turn back to the picture. "If only you could see her Groo you'd love her so much. She's the Slayer , you know. A very brave girl our Clover." Cordelia rolled over and went back to sleep. 

*

Around seven thirty that night, Clover's cell phone rang . "Hello?" Clover answered into it. "Oh, hey Gav, what's the 99? What do you mean!" The Chosen One grabbed the cell phone so hard it nearly broke. "Well, it's, great, but now what am I supposed to do? Yeah, like I don't do that every night. Yeah, okay, bye." 

Clover tiptoed quietly to her mom's bedroom door and slowly opened it a crack. Cordelia lay asleep peacefully in her bed. Clover shut the door and crept back into her room. She put her cross on and her leather jacket. She grabbed a few stakes and hid them in various places. She slowly walked out the front door. 

A man watched from the bushes, then started following her. 

* 

Cordelia awoke from a dream. She had been dreaming that she, Groo, and Clover were on a picnic. the ex-cheerleader and May Queen got up and walked over to the window. 

"We would have been married a month ago, but you had to go and get killed. It's ironic. Clover's the Slayer, and a vampire killed you. Why? I thought it was all over after high school, but no, it had only really begun." 

She walked down stairs and into the kitchen. She made herself a sandwich and sat on a bar stool. She heard a noise outside. Cordelia grabbed the first thing that came into her hand, a spoon, and slowly opened the back door. 

She looked around outside, but saw nothing. Cordelia turned back to the door; her breath caught in her throat. 

"Groo?" she managed to whisper. 

"Yes, Princess, it is," he replied as his face changed into demon form. 

* 

Clover sat on a swing in SunnyDale Park, she knew a vampire had followed her here. She waited for it to show itself, and as she waited, she thought about everything that had happened that night. 

Gavin's band, Unica, had gotten a gig out of town at the last minute; a sweet sixteen party, and Rai's dad was driving the equipment, so Rai had gone too. They hadn't invited her because there was no room in the two cars. So the Slayer was stuck all dressed up and no place to go. 

As for Cordelia, she was just getting more and more depressed; she missed Clover's father. 

"Fee, fi, foe, fum, I smell the blood of a... Slayer." Clover knew that voice, it belonged to Spike. 

Clover swung the swing around to face him. His face was that of a human's, but he wasn't one, he was a vampire. The British vampire wore tight, faded jean pants, black boots, a matching shirt, and a long black duster. 

The vampire walked over to her swing, and grabbed the chains in his hands. Spike bent down to be face level with her. 

But Clover spoke first. "Spike, haven't seen you in a week..." 

"Or two," Spike thought outloud. 

"Yeah, or two. Not since we killed that demon. Been up to your old tricks?" 

Spike gave her an innocent school boy look. "Who me?" he asked putting his hand over his unbeating heart. "Slayer, you sure can bring a demon down. I've been good as gold, and been having a bloody good time hitting old my old haunts." 

The Chose One smiled at the vampire with laughter on her lips. She cocked her head to one side and looked at him. "So I've heard. Dustin told me all about you and everything you did the first time you 'teamed up' with a Slayer. Guess I'm in for a hell of a ride, huh?" 

Spike let out a laugh. "Please, your Watcher, and I use the term loosely, is a wanker. He's stupid." 

Clover could feel her blood rise. She turned the swing back the right way, and faced Spike. the only thing between them was the swing itself. "Dustin is not a wanker, and he's not stupid. Okay, he may need things explained to him in a crisis, but when it counts, he comes through!" 

Spike loved it when Slayers got mad it gave them such fire. He smiled at the young Slayer and cocked his head to one side as well. "Come on, let's go patrol or whatever you call it." He started walking. 

Clover looked after him dumbfounded. "Wait," she called after him. He turned around and looked at her with a smile on his face. "How do I know it's not a trap?" she questioned growing tense. 

He held up his hands in peace. " It's not," he assured her. " We patrol, and maybe I'll buy you a drink." He saw the look she gave him. "Don't worry, it's not a come on. Are you coming or not?" 

Clover shrugged, let out a sigh, and started walking with Spike. Both keep their distances from the other. 

* 

Cordelia was shocked to say the least. She had to force herself not to faint. She swallowed hard, raised her spoon up, and as calmly as she could asked, "How can this be? I made sure you didn't rise out of your grave, and now you're here." She backed away from them ready to run. 

"True," Groo answered with a sly grin. "But I rose right when the sun went down, and you came half an hour later. I made it look like I had never risen. I would have turned you right then, but I knew you were carrying our child." 

"How did you know? I didn't," Cordelia asked in a whisper moving farther away. 

"We vampires know these things. It was going to be perfect. You'd have our child and one day I'd make the both of you vampire, but now that won't happen because our kid's the Slayer! So, I guess I'll have to kill her." 

Tears started falling from Cordelia's cheeks. "No!" she screamed as she jumped on her dead fiancee's body and started hitting it with the spoon. 

Groo threw her off. Cordelia landed hard on the ground. She tried to stand, but her ankle hurt too much. She started crawling backwards. 

Groo started as he closed in on her. He leaned in and Cordelia raised her good leg and knocked him hard. 'Guess I learned something from Buffy,' she thought as she made a limping dash to the back door. 

She was almost there when her ankle gave out. She fell again. Cordelia looked behind her, and she saw Groo getting up. 

* 

Spike and Clover walked along the street by the Bronze. A band played one of Clover's favorite songs inside; she wished she was in there instead of outside. The Chosen One looked over at Spike. His eyes were staring straight ahead. She cleared her throat and looked over at him and this time he looked back. 

"What?" he asked looking around. 

Clover sighed and rolled her eyes at him. Why was she even patrolling with him? Sure, he had helped her and saved her life, but he was still a soulless vampire. " I think we should go into the Bronze and make sure no vampires are in there," Clover said hopefully. 

Spike shook his head and sighed in annoyance. "God, all you Slayers are alike. Let's go." 

They started walking to the Bronze, but suddenly Spike stopped Clover and handed her a small box. 

"What's this?" she asked suspiciously. 

Spike shrugged. " I thought all vampires that worked with Slayers were supposed to give them a bloody gift. But just 'cause I give you a a gift doesn't mean we're mates or anything," Spike warned as he started walking again. 

Clover opened it and found an old looking huge silver cross on a chain. She had seen one liked that in a picture her mom had of her and her friends. Buffy Summers, her hero, had owned one like that. She smiled as she put it on and ran to catch up with Spike. 

* 

Groo got up and slowly walked over to Cordelia who was frozen in place. Cordelia tried to move to the door, but couldn't. "Maybe we can kill Clover together?" Groo suggested as he leaned his face inches from her neck. "Don't worry,' he assured her, " we'll adopt other children sweetheart." 

Cordelia started crying again. After everything she'd been through since finding out Buffy Summers was the Slayer, then finding out Clover was one, this was how she was going to die. She would have never guessed it would be this way. 

"Don't worry, it won't hurt," Groo whispered as he reached down and grabbed Cordelia. He lowered his face to her neck. 

* 

"Well, that was a bloody waste of time," Spike announced as he and Clover left the Bronze. 

The Slayer looked over at him and raised an eyebrow. "You like to say 'bloody' a lot don't you? William the Bloody." 

Spike gave her a hard look; he hated it when people called him that name. "I feel it gets the point across," he answered. 

Clover looked at her watch nervously. "Oh, look, it's eleven, and I should go and check on Mom. She hasn't been herself for a month." The vampire gave the Slayer a sorry look. This took her back a bit, but she recovered quickly. "I got to go. See you around Spike." 

"Wait," Spike called after her. "If you need me for anything, call this number." He handed her a piece of paper and walked away. 

* 

Cordelia felt his face by her neck. He leaned in and bit her. She could feel her skin break. It felt like that time when she had wished Buffy had never come to SunnyDale, and Xander and Willow had killed her. Her eyes widened, and she could feel her blood leaving her body. Her eyes started to loose their sight, and she found the light dying. Cordelia saw blackness, and then a light. 

* 

The Chosen One walked into her front door. She heard a noise, quietly pulled out a stake from her skirt, and crept into the kitchen, There, standing just outside the door, was her mother and a vampire sucking her life away. 

Clover ran straight for the vampire and knocked him to the ground. Cordelia went flying; her head landed on the back porch an inch away from the door. Clover looked down at the vampire. She knew that face; it was her father! She took her stake and raised it above his heart. "Good night Dad. Guess you lose." 

Groo let out a laugh and threw her off of him. "you know, you really shouldn't dress up to go kill vampires my dear," he commented as she got up from the bushes. 

Clover raced for her mother, picked her up, and ran into the house before Groo could say ' my dear' again. The Slayer threw everything off the bar and placed Cordelia there. She grabbed her cell phone from her jacket and dialed 911. As she waited for an operator to pick up, she tossed her stake at Groo who waited outside the door, but he just missed the heart. 

"Damn," Clover cursed under her breath as she watched Groo make a run for it into the night. Finally someone answered. "Hello, I need an ambulance. My mom's lost a lot of blood, and she's unconscious. I think she's almost dead." Clover looked over at her mother and took her hand. "It's going to be okay mommy, hold on. Please hold on," Clover whispered through her tears. "I won't let daddy hurt you." 

Then it hit Clover. "Oh my God! My dad's a vampire!" Clover grabbed her mother's hand tighter. 


	6. I Will Remember You

Clover Chase sat in the hospital waiting room. The ambulance had brought Cordelia to the emergency room over two hours ago. Her right ankle was broken, her head had lumps, she had a broken rib, and she had lost almost all her blood. If Clover's dead father would have put his blood in her mouth, Cordelia would be a vampire at that moment. Clover shivered to think about that. 

The Slayer looked up from the floor to see her Watcher and principal, Dustin Rogers, and his girlfriend, Alicia Price, a horror writer from New Orleans and new creative writing teacher at SunnyDale High. Clover had called them when she got to the hospital and her Mom was in surgery. They both looked so clean and problem free. 

Dustin was in his usual black slack pants, green short sleeve shirt, black blazer, and black shoes. His hair wasn't slicked back for a change. Alicia Price's hair was down over her shoulders. She wore a long black shirt with little purple flowers on it, as stripped black shirt with a small black see through top with purple flowers on it as well, and three inch heels. 

Alicia took a seat next to Clover, and Dustin kneeled down in front of her. He took her hands in his. 

"Are you okay?" How is your mother?" There was deep concern in his eyes and voice. 

Clover had told them about Groo, and they had sounded and looked just as shocked as she had been over the phone screen. Clover wished it wasn't her father's body the demon was in. 

Even though she had never met him, he was still her father and the man her mother had once loved. 

She took her hands back. "Mom is in surgery, has been for two hours. And how do you think I feel? My dad's a vampire!" The Slayer jumped up knocking Dustin down. Alicia got up and helped him up. When they were both righted, they found Clover gone. 

Dustin and Alicia sat waiting to hear something about Cordelia Chase's condition. They held hands tightly. Clover was taking this badly, and they both felt sorry for her, but they also both knew that she was the Slayer and would have to dust Groo. Dustin only hoped she wouldn't do it in the heat of anger and get herself killed. 

Alicia looked over at Dustin; she could feel he was worried. "That was a new cross Clover was wearing. You don't think Spike gave it to her? I hope they're not getting too close. As soon as this whole 'mating' thing is over, I don't think Spike will want to help Clover anymore. In fact, I think the first thing he'll do when he knows the world won't end is kill her." 

"And if she likes him?" Dustin finished her thoughts looking worried. "This is awful. First the mating, then Spike, now this. Clover should never have come to SunnyDale. You may be right about Spike. If she starts to like him, she may forget that he's a soulless vampire capable of murder or worse. Timing is so difficult. I was going to tell Clover about the mating in school Monday, and now it will have to wait. Again." 

Alicia grabbed his hand tighter and turned in her chair to face him better. A month ago, when she and Dustin had kissed, they had started dating directly afterwards much to the amusement of the entire school, and the scandal of the teachers. Though their relationship was littered with dates consisting of demon and vampire hunting, they still found time to spend with each other. She was going to tell him everything was going to be all right when Clover and a middle aged doctor walked through the door. They stopped a few feet away and started talking. 

Clover looked relieved and worried at the same time, but then that was a Slayer's life. Always worrying about and protecting her people, but having no one to do that for you. 

Clover tried to concentrate on what the doctor was saying. Something about Cordelia blood type and how it was AB and what was Clovers. She told the doctor her type was also AB. 

She was taken to a room where she gave all the blood she was allowed. Then she was given juice and cookies and told to lay down. The doctor and nurse left her alone. As soon as they were far enough away, Clover got out of bed and went to find Dustin and Miss Price to tell them what she had learned about Cordelia's condition. 

Dustin spotted Clover walking toward him and Alicia . She walked solemnly over to them and flopped into a seat. 

"Clover?" Alicia asked worriedly. 

Clover shook her head. She looked down at the scars on her right arm and said in barely a whisper, "Mom is in a coma. I gave her all the blood they'd let me. One rib is broken and one of her ankles too. Those will heal, but when she wakes up, the emotional scars may not. Like the ones on my right arm." 

Alicia put her hand on Clover's shoulder and Dustin took a seat on Clover's other side. They sat like that for a few minutes, until finally Alicia spoke. 

"Clover, this may seem bad now, but Cordelia is strong, you'll be okay." The horror writer looked over Clover's head at Dustin. "I'm going to make a call, I'll be right back." She got up and walked through the double doors. 

Dustin looked after her, but Clover didn't look up. "You know Clover, I think your mum is a strong woman. And you're right, the emotional scars will take a very long time to heal, but she'll have you to help her." The Watcher took his Slayer's chin in his hand and held her head up to face him. "Promise me you won't do something stupid like trying to slay Groo. I don't think your mother could bear it. And Gavin, Rai, Alicia and I couldn't either." 

Clover glanced away and stood up over Dustin. "He nearly killed my mother Dustin! What do you want me to do? Go find Groo, hug him, and tell him its okay he's a vampire, or should I take him on _Jerry Springer Jr? _You're supposed to be my Watcher and friend, you should tell me ' he almost killed your mother, you want to dust him? Go for it. The sooner the better.' But no...you're twenty-five, act like it sometimes! God, Spike was right, you are a wanker!" She turned sharply on her heel and wlaked in a huff through the double doors leaving Dustin dumbfounded alone, and worried for not the first time or last. 

*

Alicia Price was searching for a phone, but instead she found Spike waiting for someone in the first floor gift shop. She watched as he bought a pack of cigarettes. The vampire turned around and gave the southern woman a wink. He slowly walked over to her. 

She shook her head in disbelief and grabbed his arm. She lead him outside the shop. " We need to talk," she announced angrily. "First of all, why are you here? Second, what do you mean giving Clover a gift? I told you to watch her, not buy her gifts! Is it a sick joke? Or a plan? I thought you were worried about Kelmarc and the mating? Have you really found time to flirt with a Slayer ? Or have you forgotten her oath is to kill your kind, not develop a crush on one? And just what about Dru?" she finished as she crossed her arms over her chest and took a deep breath. 

Spike looked at her stunned. He had no idea she could say so much in one breath, or so fast. But then again, Alicia never stopped amazing him. 

"Me? Flirt with Clover, please." Spike let out a laugh. "First answer, I'm here to make sure Cordelia's okay and make sure Clover is too." He noticed Alicia's look. "Me and Cordelia go way back," he filled in with a sigh. "Second answer, I didn't think she trust me. Now how on earth can I protect someone who doesn't trust me? Okay, I may have done it for a few of my own reasons. After the mating." Spike got out a cigarette, lit it, and walked past Alicia to the stairs. 

Alicia walked after him, but by the time she got to the door to the stairs, Spike was gone. 

*

Clover walked slowly into her mother's room. She took a seat by the bed, and tightly took her mother's hand. She started to cry softly and gulped down large sobs. "Mommy, I know I let you down. I didn't dust Groo. you could have dies tonight, and it's my fault! If I hadn't been all selfish just because my plans changed, I could have staked him and you would have never had to know. Now you'll have these scars! Don't worry, I'll kill him for you. And I'll make it hurt. A lot." 

Clover kissed her mother softly on the forehead. She walked over to the door and left. She didn't look back. 

*

Clover found Alicia and Dustin were she had left them. She went over to them; a girl on a mission. "Don't say anything. Let me speak. I'm going to find Groo, and I'm going to dust him. If you help me fine, if not, don't get in my way or I'll hurt you." 

Alicia and Dustin looked at each other, then back at the Slayer standing in front of them. Dustin could tell Alicia was nervous, and Alicia could tell Dustin was worried. If Clover went out angry, she could get herself hurt or worse. The Watcher glanced at the huge clock on the wall to the right of him. It said the time was 2:15. Even though the sun would not rise for several more hours, Clover would never find him. For all they knew, he was in the hospital with them. 

Dustin got up and gave his Slayer a concerned look. He put his had on her shoulders. "Look Clover, I know you are upset. We all are about Cordelia, but going after Groo is not going to solve anything." 

Clover threw his hand off of her. "Damn you Dustin! My mom's is all I got. I if she dies, I'll be all alone! You don't know what that's like to be fully alone with no-one to turn to if something goes wrong." 

Alicia stood up like a bolt of lightning. " Clover! I'm shocked at your behavior. You're tired, you don't know what your saying. Go home and get some rest." 

Clover gave the woman a scoff. "I see you two stick together on this. I'm disappointed in your behavior. I am going, and you can't stop me!" She stormed off, threw the doors open, and left them again. 

Dustin started to go after the Chosen One, but Alicia held him back. "She needs to do this. Besides, I think she'll have help." 

*

Clover took out the piece of paper Spike had given her early that night. She dialed the number at a payphone. She let it ring five times before hanging up. "Probably out getting someone to eat. He's lucky I'm not out there." 

She started to dial the operator to find out if they could trace the vampire's number, when somebody hung up the phone. She turned to find Spike standing behind her smiling. 

"Ready to go?" he asked her as if they were a married couple. 

"Go where? she asked him suspiciously not for the first time that night. 

He took a cigarette out and lit it. "Dust daddy dear, of course. But first beat him to a bloody pulp." 

Clover gave the vampire a wicked smile. "Okay, let's go, but I've got to change first. Come on." 

She gestured to the door, and they walked out together. Their alliance now formed. 


	7. The Showdown

Clover got dress faster then she had ever before. She put on her red short sleeve shirt with a cross on it, brown pants, and comfy brown boots. She quickly put her hair on top of her head in a ponytail. She put on her leather jacket and put as many stakes as she could find on her person. Clover grabbed some garlic and rubbed it on her neck just in case. 

The Slayer opened her door and found Spike right where she had left him, leaning against the wall across from her room. 

"Let's go," she told him as she started to walk down the stairs. 

Spike saluted her and followed her down. "What ever you say, Slayer." 

Once outside, they jumped in his car and headed for the school. 

* 

Clover got out of the car and slammed the door. "Stay here," she told him, " and don't ditch me," she added. She ran across the quad and up the stairs. Once at Dustin's office, Clover tried to open the door, found it locked, so she broke it open. She checked her watch; 2:45. ' Hurry,' she thought to herself as she pressed the button to the "Batcave". 

Clover raced down the stairs and found where the weapons where. She grabbed the crossbow, and with a second thought, something for Spike. She ran up the stairs to the office, down some more stairs and throughout the quad. When she got to the car, Spike was waiting outside. She tossed him a knuckle brass. 

Spike looked down at it and gave the vampire slayer a wink. "Maybe someday I'll use this on you," he stated. 

The girl gave him a look as she through her five arrows and crossbow in the back-seat. "Let's go," she answered as they got into the car. All the time each one wondering why they were trusting the other. 

* 

Alicia and Dustin sat in the hospital. After Clover had left, Alicia had told Dustin about Spike which had made him worry even more. A doctor had come by earlier and told them Cordelia was still unconscious and that she might not make it through the night. Which made the evening even worse. 

It had started like most of Dustin's night these days. He and Alicia had gotten together to research Kelmarc or Chris Barron, Clover's missing Watcher and the mating. Then Clover had called. Dustin remembered that she had looked so nice, but she was trying hard not to cry. They had both rushed over. The Watcher looked over at the clock again. He held Alicia Price's hand tighter. 

* 

Spike and Clover drove around SunnyDale; they had only three hours till sunrise, and neither one knew where to find Groo. Spike sniffed the air. He looked over at Clover and sniffed again. 

"You have garlic on your neck," he commented as he turned his eyes back to the road. "You shouldn't wear it. I'm not going to try to bite you. Besides, it covers up your natural smell." 

"And what's that?" Clover retorted. 

Spike smiled as if remembering a far off memory. "Roses," his answer was simple and yet Clover couldn't help but think he was flirting with her a little. 

The Slayer was about to answer with a smart remark, when suddenly she felt a tingle all over her body. Groo was close by. 

Spike looked at his surroundings as he stopped the car. They were across the street from a graveyard. He watched as Clover ran out of the car toward a crypt. He knew that crypt. It led to the Master's old lair. The British vampire got out of the car and caught up with Clover. 

Inside the crypt it was dark. So dark the strange team could barely see anything. So, Spike took out his lighter and popped it open. It casted an errie glow around them. There directly across from them was an iron door. Clover tried to open it, but it , like the office door, was locked. At this rate, Clover would have to face Groo without Spike's help. And if he had friends with him? Clover shivered to think about this. She knew her weaknesses. She couldn't handle more than four vampires and her father's presence at a time, and if there were demons? She could only take on one powerful one at a time and two not so powerful. 

She looked over at Spike. ' Why is he helping me?' she thought to herself not for the first time since they had met, and he had saved her from the demon looking for a knife. Outloud she asked, "Is there a key or something you vampires only know about?" 

Spike shook his head slightly. "Break it down," he told her matter-of-factly. 

Clover did as she was told. She kicked the door open and walked carefully with all her senses on full blast. Spike walked in after her. As soon as he got in, his lighter flickered off. 

"If we walk east toward the school, we can find them. That's where most go down here," Spike's voice was barely a whisper. He crept closer to her as they headed that way. 

Clover moved away from him awkwardly. "How do you know?" she asked again in a whisper. Then, as an after thought, "Spike, this may be stupid, but are you scared?" 

Spike noticed as the Chosen One moved away from him. He didn't know why, but he had a strange feeling he hadn't felt in almost three hundred years. He was sad about her not trusting him. When Drusilla had left him twenty-one years ago because he had teamed up with Buffy to defeat Angel, he had been sad but more angry. Now he was just sad. The vampire let out a scoff. "Me, scared? Please! I can handle a little sixteen year old vampire. Don't worry." He didn't even notice as he put his hand in hers. 

Clover felt his hand inches from her. "Spike, are you becoming soul-having on me?" she laughed a little. It had been a joke, but she looked back at Spike. She saw his eyes glowing yellow. The Slayer held tighter to her crossbow and let go of his hand. 

"Me?" Spike asked with a laugh. "Do an Angel? Never!" 

Clover sucked her breath in. In front of them, was a dozen shadowy figures with glowing eyes. Groo stepped out in front of them and smiled at his daughter. 

"I knew you would come," he said simply. 

"What can I say," Clover shot back, "I never could miss a party." She gestured to Spike as she held up the crossbow, "Hope you don't mind, I invited friends." 

* 

A doctor and nurse approached Dustin and Alicia. The Watcher and horror writer stood up as if on cue. 

The doctor spoke to his nurse first. "Mark the time and date as," he stopped and looked at his wristwatch, "4 :00 a.m., Sunday the 21st of March 2019." The nurse nodded and walked away, and he turned to Dustin and Alicia. "I had hoped Ms. Chase's daughter would be here. Ms. Chase has woken up and is asking for her." 

Dustin and Alicia both let out large sighs. "Thank God," Dustin said at the same time Alicia said, "She's gone home to rest. May we see her?" 

The doctor gave the two a suspicious look. "I'm afraid only family is allowed in. And how are you two related to Ms. Chase?" 

Alicia thought fast hoping Cordelia wouldn't question it if asked. " I'm her younger sister, Clover's aunt, and this is my husband, Dustin." The lie was a good one. And why not? Alicia was a writer. 

The doctor smiled at them. "Yes, well, if you will follow me please." 

* 

Clover raised the crossbow and took aim at one of the vampires behind Groo. Direct it, and it exploded into dust. Its last scream echoed through the tunnels over the dripping of water. 

Clover looked smugly at Groo, but her joy was short lived. Another half dozen vampires blocked the way they had come. 

"Christ," Spike muttered under his breath. There was no telling how many more vampires were hidden in these tunnels. They had no other choice, they ran. 

* 

Dustin Rogers and Alicia Price walked into Cordelia Chase's room. She turned toward them. She looked small, weak, and older. Tubes where in her nose ,and she was hooked up to an iv unit. The both smiled at her, but their real feelings showed plainly on their faces. Alicia took the seat next to Cordelia's bed and Dustin stood behind her. 

Dustin cleared his throat and said softly. "Clover's not here. She has gone to kill Groo." 

Dustin stopped when he saw Cordelia's face. "Listen to me Cordelia, Groo is a vampire now. Your Groo is dead." 


End file.
